It can be expensive renting a car in Europe for your vacation. However there is an alternative that can save you hundreds of dollars, read on to find out more.

Short Term Car Leasing in Europe

If you live outside Europe and are looking at renting a car in Europe for your vacation, short-term leasing may be a better option. In this article we look at when to lease a car vs. when renting a car in Europe might be better.

If you answer yes to these three questions, then leasing might say you a lot of money.

Do you live outside Europe? Sorry, leasing is only available to non-residents.

Will you be in Europe longer than 17 days? The minimum lease period is 17 days and the savings get better the longer you rent. The daily rate decreases the longer the term of the rental.

GET INSTANT ACCESS

to this PDF DOWNLOAD!

Get this one day itinerary download including a

​MAP FOR EXPLORING VENICE.

Will you be traveling to multiple countries? Often renting a car in Europe has additional charges to cross the border with a rental car. If you plan to visit multiple countries a lease can save you quite a bit of money over renting.

If you are a non-resident of Europe, staying longer than 17 days and planning to visit multiple countries then leasing may be a better option for you than renting a car in Europe. So let’s look at what else you need to know.

Lease A New Car of Your Choice in Europe

Arranging for a short-term car lease for your vacation is a bit like new car shopping. You decide the make, model and features you need in advance and then arrange your lease.

Renault, Peugeot, Citroen and to a lesser extent Volkswagen all offer a non-European resident lease programs. You select the make and model.

Additional options include:

Manual or automatic

GPS

Diesel or Petrol (Gasoline)

Car seats

Roof racks

And a range of other options

The options and lease must be arranged and usually paid for in advance. You can select from a wide range of makes, models and options. The car will be brand new, just like you picked it up from a the new car dealer. The advantage over renting a car in Europe is you will know exactly what you are getting in advance.

Fully insured, $0 Deductible or Excess Across Europe

The lease gives you a brand new, fully insured car ($0 deductible) to use for the duration of your trip. The car is registered in your name at the address on your driver’s license. The car is fully insured with $0 deductible and you are provided the insurance documentation in your own name. Free roadside assistance is also included should you have any issues.

Unlike renting a car in Europe, additional drivers are allowed and included in the cost. There is a long list of countries you are permitted to take the car. This list is most of the countries in the European Union (EU), but be sure to check where you want to go is on the list. Some of the countries that are not full member states in the EU (mainly Eastern Europe) may not be on the list.

When you cross a border by road or if you are pulled over you are often asked to show registration and insurance information. This will be in your name matching the address on your driver’s license.

A Range of Pick-up and Drop-Off Options

Pick-up and drop-off within France is usually free, charges may apply for other cities Booking early can provide discounts, free days and reduced pick-up and drop-off fees. It also can provide a greater selection of cars.

The fees are disclosed at the time you arrange the lease. Pick-up and drop-off locations do not have to be the same location. You might pick-up in Paris and then drop it off in Italy. You would incur a drop-off fee for Italy.

These fees are usually much lower than a one-way car rental and you will know the total cost ahead of time.

Some Other Considerations

Diesel or Petrol (Gasoline)

If you will be driving long distances, you may want to consider leasing a diesel. Diesel cars in Europe are very fuel efficient and diesel petrol is cheaper, at the time of writing about .20 euro cents cheaper per liter, or about 1 euro per US gallon. While this may not sound like a lot, it is a difference of about 8 Euros more at the pump for gasoline. This site allows you to check the price of petrol and diesel for a wide range of countries in Europe. A tank of diesel will cost you less and drive you further than petrol.

Keep in mind fuel in Europe may be quite a bit more expensive than you are used to at home.

GPS

A GPS built into the car can be very convenient if traveling to countries where you don’t speak the language or they don’t use the Roman alphabet. The car will continue to give you turn by turn instructions despite the fact you are unable to read the local signs.

The data, mapping and voice instructions may be more reliable than trying to use your phone. If you want to rely on your phone remember you will need a data connection. Roaming charges can be quite expensive when you travel and using your phone for real-time map data can result in a bill of hundreds of dollars.

Tolls and Vignettes

Europe has lots of tolls! Many countries also use vignettes. A vignette is a sticker you need to put in your car to travel on many of the main highways in a country. The rules vary by country as do the fees. Some will issue a 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month pass, for others it is an annual pass.

Often you will be stopped upon entering a country to organize the vignette.

You need to factor the cost of tolls and vignettes into your budget and costs estimate. Rome2Rio or the Via Michelin site can help you with estimates for tolls.

Parking

Parking is often difficult in Europe. The roads and spaces are better suited to small cars. Parking can be restricted or expensive in some cities and villages. Keep this in mind when selecting your make and model.

To Learn More about Short Term Car Leasing in Europe

Many people don’t know there is a short term car leasing program for non-European residents, and think renting a car in Europe is the only option. If you think this seems too good to be true, the benefit to the manufacturer is after a car has been leased through this program it can be sold as “used” which reduces the taxes, similar to selling demonstrator cars in other countries.

To learn more and see current offers and pricing check:

Auto Europe offers Peugeot leasing across Europe. Click here to see options and current pricing.

To lease a brand new Renault in Europe check Renault Eurodrive for leasing options and current pricing.

Compare the cost of leasing to the full costs of renting a car in Europe using our handy checklist for renting a car– it will help you compare the true cost, fees and all, of renting vs. leasing a car in Europe.

These are all excellent reasons to do a short term lease in Europe. Just the fact that you can drop off at a different place alone would make me entertain this. Safety is also a big concern and it’s nice that there is no deductible..peace of mind..Nice post. 🙂

I haven’t encountered the issues with being a non-resident actually, however I find not knowing how to drive a manual car the most expensive thing possible. The highest insurance is 100% worth it otherwise you might need to pay out of pocket when something happens.

Keep in Touch

Disclosure

Compass & Fork is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com